FAQ: is there a post-soviet legacy? YES Perceived value = the book should be available for everyone > price should be low Two communities = two book markets Some information gaps difficult to fill NO Well-developed retail chains High-quality printing services Global themes, global bestsellers (although this is changing at the moment)

Book industry - players Professional organizations: LPA, LBA Latvian Writers’ Union Writers House in Ventspils Consultative council on Books for Ministry of Culture, since end 2016 – Memorandum Council • AKKA/LAA, LATREPRO • National Library and Association of Libarians • •

Book industry – publishers • LNB statistics report between 350 -400 yearly • In fact – just 30 -40 publish at least 3 -5 titles per year • Latvian Publishers Association established 1993, recent membership – 30 companies + 9 supporters, member of FEP since 2014, organizer of national prize for the best book design • Big difference and size and turnover

Warning! • Statistics about Latvian book market are part of mystery! Sources: Latvian National Library, PA, booksellers Central Statistical Bureau is not interested in such minor issues : =(

What qualifies as a bestseller • The total printrun of books in Latvia has shrunk twice in the last decade • The average printrun per title was quite stable for more than a decade (~1800 copies per title) • In 2014 -2015 it has decreased to less than 1300 copies • The number of titles that sell more than 5000 copies have decreased remarkably – we can hardy speak about more than 5 -6 titles annually at the moment

From international to local • The trend of recent years is the growing popularity of works written locally in Latvian language, both ficion and esoteric titles • Success of series «Mēs. XX gadsimts» - «We. 20 th Century» based on history of Latvia and written by well-established Latvian writers • Annual writers’ competitions organized by two big publishers • Special phenomenon – books about Latvian sportists – international sport celebrities • The Karma of Latvian Women followed by book on sexuality and couple relations written by one of renowned Latvian pastors

Book industry calendar in Latvia • February/March • March/April • July • August • September • October • December Riga Book Fair The Best Book Design in Latvia The Annual Literature Award Jānis Baltvilks Prize Book street during Riga Festival Days of Poetry Riga Book Festival Prose readings